Len arrived at airport of Seville at the estimated time. Annelise and I were waiting already there. Rudolf will meet us later during the week in Sierra Morena, just to see the Lynx and he will do again the same tour, the week after.We headed towards Doņana, were we placed our luggage in the hotel and immediately after we started birding in the near marshes of el Rocio. Hundreds of Flamingoes, White storks, Shoveler, Common teal, Lapwings, Spoonbills, Black-tailed Godwits were seen. We drove to another spot, where we found Otter scats and while we were watching a Stonechat, the owner of the scats passed across the road few meters from us. We did not see it but a French couple close to us saw it. We could see the wet footprints on the cement and the track that had left. We drove to a spot, where we could enjoy the Azure-winged Magpies close by together with Hoopoes, Dartfort Warbler, and the extremely common Chiffchaffs, Black Redstarts and Robins. In one of the lagoons visited we found a surprise: a hybrid Ferruginous Duck x Common Pochard. That was an interesting plumage to study.We decided to go to the hotel and get some rest before a delicious dinner. At the back door of our hotel a huge amount of Cattle Egrets decided to roost in some islands, Annelise was very happy to see such a concentration.

Day 2 - Doņana, Rocio Marshes, Valverde Center, Dehesa de Abajo

We started the morning birding in el Rocio marshes (just 10 meters from the hotel). We were surprised to hear the roar of the Red Deer. January is extremely late; normally they will have the mating time in September - October but the hot temperatures during all autumn and the lack of rain has delay the season for these animals. Glossy Ibis, Penduline Tits, Bluethroat, Graylag Geese were seen and admired with a beautiful light. In Doņana is placed the biggest wintering population of these geese with over 10.000 birds.A Little Bittern decided to overwinter here and flew past in front of us. Marsh Harrier wondered over the reeds, trying to catch some of the snipe, and Little Ringed Plovers  another extremely rare wintering species.After breakfast we headed towards the eastern parts of the Park, but just before another rare wintering species a few House Martins were seen in the sky. Our first stop produced hundred of Night Herons followed by a young Pallid Harrier - mega rarity in Spain - then Ruddy Shelduck, Marbled Teals, Great White Egrets, Red-crested Pochard, Crested Coot, Purple Swamp-hens, Squacco Herons, Booted Eagles, Black Storks, and many Spanish Sparrows that didnt allow us to see them properly until later on. We had our Picnic by a lagoon while we watching the Crested Coot and we could hear the peculiar call.Later on we drove through the rice fields were we saw thousands of waders: Dunlins, Little Stints, Kentish, Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers, Golden Plovers, Green and Common Sandpipers been watched by a Peregrine Falcon  huge adult animal, likely to be a female from the north of Europe. Some Yellow Wagtails were added to the list of rare wintering species.We found a tractor plowing the rice fields, where thousands and thousands of birds were having a fest: Lesser Black-backed gulls, Black-headed Gulls, Yellow-legged Gulls, White storks, Great White Egrets, Little Egrets, Glossy Ibis, Cattle Egrets, Green Sandpiper, Lapwings, White Wagtails, Meadow Pipits. The field was covered in birds and as just the tractor was passing a rain of birds just dropped behind, to catch any insects, frogs, fish, crayfish that was left in the open. We drove a little more and for our surprise we found a roosting Barn Owl in the Tamarisks together with some Spanish Sparrows, Corn Buntings, Bluethroat, and Chiffchaffs.Then we saw an owl hunting in the distance!!! We set the telescope A Short-eared Owl!!! And then another one, and another one, and another one. Like this, up to 17 birds. But very likely that there were many more. It was getting late so we started to drive home and in the way a young Short-toed Eagle!!!! It shut be in sub-Saharan Africa!!!! They eat snakes and the snakes in winter they hibernate!! The hot temperatures have maintained the reptiles awake, so this animal has decided to avoid having to migrate thousands of kilometers.It was getting dark, so we stop for a couple of Lesser Kestrels and then back to the hotel.Beautiful dinner I love GARLIC

Day 3 - Doņana

The White-headed Duck was requested by Len and Annelise, been a lifer for both so we drove to a remote lagoon were we saw a good bunch of them , up to 65 birds I counted. In the area were Avocets, Bar-tailed Godwits, Marbled Teal, Little Gulls, Caspian Terns, Redshanks, Greenshanks, Black Storks, Booted Eagles, Red Kites, Lesser short-toed Larks, Calandra Larks, Stone Curlews, Black-necked Grebes, Ospreys, the elegant Slender-billed gulls, Short-toed Treecreper, among others. The drive was rather long so we left the area not before too long.

Day 4 - Transfer to Sierra Morena

Today was the transfer to Sierra Morena where the last big population of Iberian Lynx is left. So after breakfast we drove just doing some comfort stops and to see some beautiful Black-shouldered Kites.We arrived to the mountains and the first mammals started to appear. Red Dear, Rabbits  main prey of the Iberian Lynx. We waited but no luck with the cat. Iberian Lynx is one of the rarest species of cats in the world, with just over 200 individuals.

Day 5 and 6 - Sierra Morena, Andujar

We woke up before sunrise and came after down. We visited several spots but no luck with mister whiskers. Anyway we saw lots of different animals Moufflon, Fallow Deer, Spanish Ibex, Greater mouse-eared bad, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Golden Eagle, Black Vulture, Goshawk, Hawfinch, and heard the Eagle, Little and Tawny Owls. NO LUCK YET. Even dough we found some very fresh scats in the morning and we were at -4ēC and they were not frozen yet, so they had to be from 1 or 2 hours ago. Len had a photo from the photo-trap that he had set with the back and tail of one of them.

Day 7 - Sierra Morena, Andujar

Our last day. Pressure was considerable. Rudolf has joined us, now Im confident that we will see it. Im always lucky with him. We waited and walk in new places where I had seen them before. Only fresh footprints from few hours before.We drove to one of the previous places where it had been seen during the week and we waited there the rest of the day. Then some Magpies went bananas There it was!!! No one, TWO!!! They were about 40meters away, so quite close. I found them in the scope and passed it to Annelise. She had seen them. Good!! But, where are Len and Rudolf!!! Oh nooo!! Len was away, eating by the minibus!! No idea where Rudolf was. I didnt want to shout, so I piiiishhhht. Len didnt react, he couldnt hear me. So I tried to get his attention but he was too busy having a fest with the picnic. Finally I managed to get his attention but also from the 2 Lynx that were in mating season and the male was following the female and the female in such an intimate moment didnt want any noise so they had left down a hill out of our vision. Great!! I had scared the animals away! We waited and waited! And then another lynx came across to my view. Just the rear quarters as it went into a bush. Nobody else saw it but we had now one moving to the left, so it had to show at some point!! There it was, I found it again and put it in both scopes. It was marking the territory by defecating; give us good views for some seconds! They are quick, not like me that I need the Newspaper!! Rudy didnt have his scope set so I try to give a rough idea where it was. By then, it was gone, but it came across another place set up the scopes for Len and Annelise. Rudy couldnt find until last second and saw the tail going into the bush!! At least everybody had seen it and Ruddy will go on the next tour with me and he will have then more chances. We drove and we could hear one! Far away! We kept driving and there it was!!!IT WAS 7 METERS AWAY FROM US. Everybody stop breathing in the minibus!!!! I could hear Rudys heart, and his head going crazy because he didnt have the camera with him. It was getting dark! I took one photo, but I didnt use the flash to not scare the animal away. We happily drove back to the hotel, had some dinner followed by whisky.

Day 8 - January 12th - Transfer Airport

Lens flight was early so we didnt have time for anything that day. I drove to the airport and we sadly said goodbye. Ruddy stayed a little longer with his car and tried to take some photos. Annelise and I stayed in hotel in Seville. Her flight was next morning.

Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardina)Š Cristian Jensen. Sorry for the photo, but it was the only one I could take this time